Solar Wind 7
by Erin Roberts Guardian's Light
Summary: Taranee is taken away from Earth by a mysterious interstellar organization known only as Planetary Wind.  What dark secrets does this organization possess and why do they seem to revolve around Taranee and six other people that were chosen by it.
1. Abduction

AN: This is an idea I've been tossing around whether or not I should do it, so here goes nothing. Anyway this is especially short for me as I usually have at least over 1000 words per chapter. Oh, well makes for a good nice attention grabbing opening, so please tell me what you think.

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Taranee Cook yawned once again as she reread the chapter. This was probably her third or fourth time reading this particular chapter of her history textbook, but she had a test over the material in the morning and thanks to certain Guardian related business she was unable to get any studying done earlier. It was times like this that the beautiful Guardian of Fire regretted her title.

With a sigh of disdain the young maiden decided that it would be better to get some sleep so that she would have at least a little bit of energy to take the test. She quickly placed her glasses on the desk next to the bed and slipped quickly underneath the covers of her bed. She stared at her clock for a while as the bright red numbers shined out into her eyes revealing to her that the time was shortly after one in the morning. She then felt her eye lids close and sleep overtake her.

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Taranee was floating in a solid black world. Her skin was pure white and she was wearing her pajamas which were a bright red in color.

_Are you the one to have been detected? _A voice says in what Taranee could only assume is telepathy.

"Is someone there," Taranee asks while looking around for the strange mental voice.

_I am here, and you are here. Those are the answers in which I can give._

"But who are you, and what did you mean by being detected." Taranee continues her questioning.

_All will be revealed in time. All will be revealed with patience. All will be revealed. _

"That's not good enough," Taranee says. She was starting to get a little annoyed by this voice. It was almost as if she was talking to the Oracle himself.

_What is not good enough for you is good enough for the whole. All will be revealed._

"Are you a member of the council," the Fire Maiden asks continuing to wonder what is happening.

_I am beyond the council. Beyond your Oracle. Beyond the powers of a heart. I am the one with the answers to be revealed._

"So what do you want from me," Taranee asks quickly.

_That is enough questions for now. Until next we meet young Taranee Cook, Guardian of Fire chosen by the Oracle known as Himerish._

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of blue light encompassed the black space that the girl inhabited.

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The dark skinned female shot up from her bed in a flash. She was breathing a little erratically, but she didn't feel that afraid of the dream she just had, but instead was more confused. She then felt the cool breeze of air coming through the now open window.

"That's odd," Taranee says turning to the window but then snapping back to her alarm clock as it erratically fluctuated and seemed to be out of control as the red numbers constantly changed. It one say it was three fifteen one second than eighty thirteen the next. What was going on? This kind of thing wasn't logically possible. Then again sprouting wings and throwing fireballs isn't exactly possible either, but still.

She returned her attention to the window as the breeze became more violent. The curtains flew open on their own to reveal a small dot of light that quickly turned into a blasting and very bright beam of blue, and just like that she felt it. She couldn't move. Her entire body seemed to be paralyzed, and then she saw it.

The figure was hidden mostly by the light but she could make out that whoever it is was a tall person. She estimated that the figure stood at about eight feet tall as it walked over to her bed. She then saw the figure place one of its hands to the side of its head and began to speak though Taranee couldn't hear any of it. She couldn't hear at all come to think about it. She couldn't move and she couldn't hear. What was going on?

_Sleep, _a calm and gentle voice echoes in Taranee's mind and soon the dark skinned girl is lying on her back and is fast asleep.

"Raico here," the figure says as the blue light disappears to reveal the tall girl with gray colored skin and smoky colored hair. She appeared to wear some kind of advanced armor suit that was a light blue in color. She lifted up the visor to look at Taranee through her black almond shaped eyes. "Mission accomplished, and target acquired."

The girl then grins happily as she and Taranee's sleeping form vanish in a flash of white light.


	2. Five Years

A/N: Thank you to the four reviewers out there. Been going through some wierd times lately, and am trying hard to keep my stories on the schedule that most of you readers expect of me. Anyway got about a thirteen percent review to hit ratio for chapter one, which isn't bad, and is about average for starting chapters for my stories, but it could be better so please if you read this story review even if it's to tell me how bad it sucks. Anyway here is chapter two.

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"She has yet to awaken," a tall man with dark brown hair and fairly tan skin asks calmly. He wore what appeared to be a mesh jumpsuit and had his eyes covered by a red blindfold with a strange symbol printed in the middle.

"It took a lot of the Blue Light to get her unconscious sir," Raico says as she continues to view the monitor that showed the young Fire Guardians life signs. "You should exorcise some patients. It takes a lot of time before someone is alleviated from the effects of that device."

"Alert me immediately should she awaken," the man says quickly, "I have to make sure we are still on course."

"Yes sir," Raico says with a playful grin while saluting the man as he left.

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Taranee groaned as she finally managed to find her way back to the conscious world. She opened her eyes to find that the world was quite blurry.

"That was sure a weird dream," Taranee yawns as she stretches before she reaches to where she put her glasses, but instead fumbled out of the bed. She sat up with a startled look on her face as her eyes adjusted themselves to look around the room she was in with greater detail. The walls looked like aluminum as the dull lights reflected off of them calmly. She stood and examined the bed, which looked like it belonged in a hospital and not a bed room, and around the surface was a variety of strange instruments.

"Good morning," a calm voice says from behind her. The frightened Taranee turns quickly to see a tall grey colored woman with smoky colored hair. She wore a light blue jumpsuit that was missing its sleeves. "My name is Raico. How are you Feeling?"

"Where…what's," Taranee couldn't bring herself to ask any questions. This Raico towered about three feet above her yet the more the dark skinned human looked at her the more the calm black almond shaped eyes seemed to relax her.

"Maybe I should start explaining," Raico says as she appears to sit on a non –existent chair. "I don't want you to damage your vocal cords before they have a chance to adjust."

"Where am I," Taranee squeaks out. Her voice was very hoarse but the message still got across.

"You are inside the medical bay of the Starship Solar Wave which belongs to the intergalactic organization Planetary Wind." Raico answers quickly as she motions a finger and a glass of water floats off of a desk on the other side of the room and places itself near Taranee. She then waited for the young Earthling to finish the glass before she continued. "Do you have any other immediate questions?"

"Why am I here," Taranee says placing the water glass on the ground before sitting on the bed.

"That isn't as easy of a question to answer," Raico says with a sigh, "I really have no clue why any of us are here…"

"Us," Taranee interrupts quickly.

"Yes," Raico says, "you, me, and four other people from different planets. From what I do know is that we've been chosen to be some kind of special task force or something. The captain of the ship said he'd tell us more once you woke up, but first we should get you changed out of your nighties."

"But I didn't bring any clothes with me," Taranee says in an agitated tone as the room's temperature starts to spike, "never the less did I have any choice in the matter of coming here. I demand that you take me home."

"Well I would take you home," Raico said calmly, "but I unfortunately don't have that kind of influence here. Second, I'm sure we could find you something to wear and third…"

"Yes," Taranee says looking at the woman as she paused.

"Could you let the temperature return to normal," Raico says, "my planet is almost all tundra so I'm not really used to this kind of heat."

"Sorry," Taranee says with a deep sigh. "I guess I'll have to speak to this captain of yours then?"

"Yep," Raico says standing, "but first let's get you into something more space worthy."

"Space," Taranee questions timidly.

"Of course silly," Raico says walking past the Earth girl and into a hall way. "Where else would a space ship be?"

"_This so can't be happening,_" Taranee sighs to herself as she reluctantly follows the tall woman into the hallway.

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The two soon found their way into a room that made Taranee feel a little more comfortable. The room looked pretty much the exact same as…

"My room," Taranee says as he eyes widen in surprise. Everything was pretty much in the exact place where she left it when she was taken away from her home.

"Well yes and no," Raico says as she walks into the room. "This is your room on the ship, and it is a perfect replica of your room on your home planet. What was that one called again?"

"Earth," Taranee responds quickly while grabbing her glasses from off the nightstand and placing them in front of her eyes.

"Right," Raico says with a cute grin, "your clothes should be in your dresser but I should warn you…"

"About what," Taranee says as she walks over to her dresser and opens the door. She is then surprised at what she sees in the mirror on the interior of the right door.

She had appeared to have aged quite a bit as the young woman now stood at a height that she only experienced in her Guardian form. Her black hair had grown to sit at around her waist, something that she should have noticed when she first woke up, and she noticed that her once normal fitting pajamas were now much smaller than they were.

"What happened to me," Taranee asks while blushing from the fact that she was showing far too much skin for her liking.

"You aged a little bit," Raico says with a friendly grin, "okay a lot a bit."

"Aged," Taranee says looking herself over. Panicked thoughts were racing through her brain. How long had she been asleep? Did her friends worry about her? Did they try to find her?

"Yea about five of your planet's years," Raico says quickly.

_Five years, _the fire maiden began to think to herself as her breathing increases. _Even if they had looked for me the other Guardians would have given up after five years. Well, at least Cornelia would have._

"Are you okay," Raico says walking quickly up to Taranee to see tears streaming down the Earthling's cheeks. "Your breathing is becoming erratic." At the question the dark skinned woman wrapped her arms around the much taller alien and sobbed quietly.

"What's wrong," Raico asks as her face becomes flush in a darker hue of gray. On her world this kind of embrace symbolized two lovers. "Why are you crying?"

"I want to go home so bad…but," Taranee says through her sobs.

"But what," Raico says with a sigh as she knew hers and the Earthlings customs where quite different.

"On my world," Taranee says as she starts to calm down. She had to be rational at this time and breaking down won't get anything done. "If someone goes missing and they aren't found within a certain amount of time…they're pronounced dead."

"That isn't right," Raico says calmly as Taranee releases her hold from her thin waist, "that a planet would pronounce one of its own dead just because they've been gone a while."

"Unfortunately that's how my society works," Taranee says returning her attention to the dresser. Inside were about three of the suits that Raico was wearing only that hers had arms and were a light orange in color. "These aren't my clothes."

"Since you got bigger we had to get rid of all your normal clothes," Raico sighs, "but I bet we'll be to a lot of worlds so you can get some new ones. Until then those will have to do. The captain says were required to wear them at all times, but they do have some interesting features." The tall woman then snaps her fingers and the suit quickly changes into a simple pair of pants and a white vest.

"How did you do that," Taranee asks as Raico's suit changes back to normal.

"The suits have polymorphic properties," Raico says, "I'm ashamed to admit it but I don't really know how it works, but I think that it has something to do with nanotechnology. It is quiet useful though when you need to blend in."

"That would be pretty good," Taranee says as she takes one of the suits of its hanger. She then looks at the patiently waiting Raico. "Do you mind?"

"Nope not at all," Raico says with her usual grin before realizing, "oh, you want to change in private." She then rubs the back of her head as she leaves the room. "I'll wait for you out here then."

Taranee waited for the door to finish closing before walking over to the bed and sitting on it. She sighed as she held the strange suit in her hands. The fabric was smooth but is very soft and comfortable. She looked around the replica room. She knew it wasn't really her room, but it made her feel much more comfortable. She felt alone as she sat there. Her friends probably thought that she was dead. She had disappeared five years ago. Even Hay Lin would have given up by now.

She curled up a little and silently cried.

"Um," Raico says from outside the door, "could you hurry up. The captain will be a little annoyed if we report to him late."

"O…Okay." Taranee says wiping away the tears on her cheek before she quickly puts on the suit. It fit perfectly to her body as if it were made one hundred percent for her. She then quickly grabbed a hair tie, that she meant to give back to Hay Lin at some point, and tied her hair back into a ponytail before leaving the room.

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"So are you ready to meet everyone," Raico asks as the girl steps into the hall.

"Depends," Taranee says as she walks beside Raico as she walks down the hall, "who is everyone."

"The captain and the other four members of our team," Raico says calmly with her smile spread across her face.


	3. Spoiled Introductions

AN: Well here is Chapter three. A lot of Characters are going to be introduced within the next couple of Chapters so please bear with me. This chapter actuall has the most since you meet four more of the seven besides Taranee and Raico. Anyway, Thank you to all my reviewers for this story and please enjoy chapter three.

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"A samurai once asked Zen Master Hakuin where he would go after he died.

Hakuin answered 'How am I supposed to know?

'How do you know? You're a Zen master!' exclaimed the samurai.

'Yes, but not a dead one,' Hakuin answered."

Zen Proverb

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"It is about time you showed up," a voice rang out as the two women enter the darkened bridge. Above them one could see the stars and they provided only a minute amount of light to the bridge.

"Why are all the lights off," Taranee asks calmly to Raico.

"Must be so that we can introduce ourselves one at a time," Raico responds, "the captain has a certain eccentricity."

"Oh okay," Taranee gulps. She wanted to meet this captain but now her stage fright was starting to well up in her head.

"You'll be fine," Raico says calmly with a soft grin.

"Guess I'll start," the captain's voice says as the lights around him come on.

He was tall, though not as tall as Raico and had wild dark brown hair. Taranee couldn't see his eyes as they were covered by a red blindfold that had a symbol similar to a tattoo that the young Guardian had seen on someone back on Earth. He wore the same kind of suit though his was an ashen color that had a long white sleeveless coat over it and if Taranee didn't know any better she would have thought an older Caleb was standing in front of her. "Welcome to the Solar Wave. I'm your captain. During this introduction process I'd like for you all to give your name, your home world, your likes and dislikes, as well as your hopes or your dream of what you wish to be in the future."

_Why should we have to reveal so much information, besides I was plucked from my __home?__ My dreams are pretty much over. _Taranee thought to herself before hearing kind of a childish voice speak up.

"Could you maybe demonstrate for us," the voice said, "that's a lot to remember."

"Of course," the captain responds, "My name is Jasique, but you can call me Jase for short. My home world is Raichiani and is located in the Andromeda Galaxy. I like a lot of things and it would take me too long to answer. The same goes for my dislikes. As for my hopes and dreams, well I don't like to disclose that information."

_Great so all we learned was his name and where he is from,_ Taranee thinks to herself as the light shines on a small girl next to the captain.

"Guess it's my turn huh," the little girl who didn't appear to be much older than five says with a giggle. She had short red hair and stunning orange eyes. Unlike the captain she wore more of an armor-like suit and a visor was around her neck. "Well my name is Solar Wave, but you can call me S.W for short. I'm the ships Avatar so I guess my home world would be Usiago as that's where my main body was built. I like the color red and ice cream. I hate eating vegetables and being pelted by energy blasts. I guess my dream and my hopes would be to be the known as the best ship in the universe and that everyone on board makes it home safely."

_So this girl is the ship itself, _Taranee continues her mental analysis of everyone introducing themselves. _I wonder how many places she's been too then._

"Now it's time for you seven to introduce yourselves." The captain says with a grin. "We'll start to my left."

The lights then shinned on a boy that was about Taranee's height. His hair was short and wild and a nice platinum blonde. His skin on the other hand was a light lime green color and appeared to be rough and scaly. He had on a dark emerald green suit underneath a pair of light tan pants with a whole cut in them for his long reptile-like tail.

"Why do I have to be the next," he says with a slight hiss in his voice, "this is much too troublesome." Jase said nothing at this comment but waited patiently. "Fine, the names Raps Shuin. My home world is none of your business as are my likes and dislikes. I guess for where dreams and hopes are concerned. I wouldn't mind being crowned royalty."

_This guy kind of gives me the creeps, _Taranee mentally says as she looks him over while his gentle reptilian eyes move themselves back up to looking at the stars. He reminded the fire maiden a little of Cedric, but Taranee couldn't just judge him on appearances.

"Yay, it's my turn now," a girl that looked to be the combination of an ant and a human says with a joyful grin. Her skin was a dark reddish brown color and her hair was a nice shade of black. Two antenna stick out of the black sea of hair and dance around happily has a large smile spread across her very human shaped face. Her dark brown suit showed off her athletic build but had room for her thorax to stick out form her tail bone. She only had four legs, two for walking and two to use as arms, but she was definitely a sight to behold, and could probably give Hay Lin a run for her money on happy.

"That it is insect," Raps hisses in annoyance, "now hurry up."

"You're just jealous," the girl says sticking out her tongue only to almost get hit by an uppercut from Raps' tail. "Okay then, my name is Easi Roun. I'm a proud soldier of her majesties royal army on the planet Cyiana. I like anything sweet, especially honey. Oh now I'm hungry. I guess I don't like people who are mean to others. My biggest dream would have to be that I served my queen well." She said the last sentence a little sadly as if she were making it up but no one seemed to notice except Taranee who quickly made a mental not of it as the lights turned on around Raico.

"Well this was unexpected," Raico says with a giggle, "most of you have already met me, but just in case you forgot my name is Raico Shuiton. I come from the planet Tein in the Milky Way Galaxy; oh that's such an Earth term. Anyway I guess my likes are studying the various diseases of the universe in hopes to find cures for them. There are actually not a lot of things that I don't like, but the biggest one are the human renderings of my people as short and super thin. My dreams are to be a great medical technician someday."

_Her race is the race that everyone who raves about alien abductions is about, _Taranee mentally notes with surprise before blocking her eyes from the sudden introduction of light. About five minutes passed of Taranee just standing there.

"Come on," a voice says to the fire maiden's right, "we don't have all day."

"I think she is frightened," another one says calmly.

"Hey you're holding everybody up," Easi says with a grin. "There are a bunch of smells in this room that I still gotta put faces to."

Taranee then felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You can do it." Raico says calmly with her usual grin. That was enough for Taranee. She was a Guardian and was brought here and now these people wanted to know who she was. Why should she tell them anything? She couldn't do it despite what Raico said. She was just too afraid, and within moments she flees the bridge and runs back down the hall to her room.

"What was that about," S.W says calmly.

"That girl is a coward," one of the voices in the shadows says, "being frightened by a little bit of light."

"Humans call it stage fright," Raico says placing her hands on her hips, "and it is a serious affliction on her world. Please continue with the introductions, I'll go and get her."

"Don't strain yourself Raico," Easi says as she rushes out the door, "I'm hungry anyway so we'll pick up a snack and be back before you know it."

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Taranee was curled up on her bed and trying desperately to calm down. She had a hard enough time talking in front of people in public speaking class. How was she able to tell all that personal stuff to complete strangers? Strangers that weren't even her own species.

"Hello are you in here," Taranee heard Easi's kind and friendly voice filter in.

"Ye...Yes," Taranee says quickly sitting up in her bed. "Are you here to take me back to the bridge?"

"Yeah," Easi says handing Taranee what looked to be a yellow pear with spots of orange all over it. "But not if you don't want to."

"I actually don't," Taranee says as Easi takes a big bite out of what looked like a purple orange. She could see her mouth chewing in a different way than one should chew. "I just want to sit here and think things over. So much has happened so quickly."

Easi swallows her bite before speaking, "Do you want to talk about it."

"I don't know if you would understand," Taranee says calmly, "it's just I'm used to meeting people on a more personal level. Like when I met Raico."

"Well we could do that now," Easi says after she swallows another bite, "if that's okay."

"Yeah," Taranee says, "my name is Taranee Cook. I'm from Earth."

"It's nice to meet you Taranee," Easi says as her antenna twitch a little.

"What are you doing," Taranee asks noticing the gesture.

"Memorizing what you smell like," Easi says, "my people know each other by smell and not really by sight."

"So you are like an ant," Taranee says calmly.

"What are ants," Easi says with a curious look on her face.

"They are little bugs on my world that can build elaborate underground colonies," Taranee says noticing she is confusing the girl even more, "very _very _small versions of you."

"How small," Easi asks quickly.

"Small enough," Taranee responds to the question as she removes her glasses and points at the end of the frame. "That one can fit easily right there."

"Wow," Easi says with a hint of desire in her voice, "what I would give to be small."

"Why is that," Taranee asks placing her glasses back on her face.

"I...I want to be small so I don't have to be a soldier," Easi says, "I like working with my hands and sculpting but because I was born larger than a lot of my sisters I had to be a soldier."

"I think now you can be whatever you want Easi," Taranee says placing a hand on the ant-like woman's smooth shoulder. "You aren't in your home anymore."

"That's true I guess," Easi says rubbing the back of her head. "So, are you feeling better now?"

"A little," Taranee says calmly.

"Do you want to try again," Easi says with a smile. "Me and Raico will be there with you, and though he doesn't look it that lizard will probably back you up too."

"Okay," Taranee says with a nod as the two girls leave the room only to bump into Raico and Raps.

"You two took too long," Raps says with a tired sigh, "introduction time is over. Everyone is calling it a night."

"That's not important though," Raico says turning to Taranee, "how are you feeling? Do you need a glass of water?"

"No," Taranee says, "I'm fine now. Maybe the four of us could do something though. You know to get to know each other."

"Like I'd be caught in a room with that infantile insect," Raps says waving his hand dismissively at Easi.

"I am not infantile," Easi says in an annoyed tone, "what's infantile?" This statement causes both Taranee and Raico to laugh while Raps sighs in anguish.

"Looks like she made some friends," a girl with long golden blond hair and piercing green eyes says with a grin. She wore a ruby colored jacket that was open in a way that most of her chest showed but still kept her modesty while her legs were covered by tight denim pants.

"Why don't we prove how much of a coward she really is in that training exercise tomorrow?" A man with long black hair says as he looks at the group of four through white eyes. He wore and open vest that revealed his bare metallic colored skin, while his lower body was covered by a pair of baggy black shorts.

"I like the sound of that," the girl says as she smiles wide showing long canine teeth.


	4. Meeting the Gods

**Thank you to all the reviewers and supporters of Solar Wind 7. Please enjoy the next chapter.**

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"All religions are ancient monuments to superstition, ignorance, ferocity; and modern religions are only ancient follies."

Paul Henri Thiry

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Taranee gazed over the open field as she sat below a large tree. She smiled as a gentle breeze caressed her skin. Flowers of blue, yellow, and orange were blooming in the field to make a fantastic picture. She stretched and decided to lie on her back and stair up at the clouds.

"What a peaceful dream," Taranee sighs as the white fluff casts shadows onto the ground below. She knew this world was a dream because she had fallen asleep on the Solar Wave and was told it would be quite some time before they reached their destination.

"What is a dream but the peaceful painting of the heart," a calm gentle voice says over the landscape. Taranee sits up slowly to see a boy of about seventeen with short hair that was a mixture of the colors silver and blue. He wore a white tee shirt with a gold Hawaiian shirt over it and baggy tan pants while a long tattered white cloak blew in the breeze.

"Who are you," Taranee asks standing up while the boy picks a flower and hands it to her. It was spectacular and appeared to be the only flower like it in the field. It had bright red petals that were white at the tip while in the middle was a spectacular orange ring.

"I am but a travelling soul," the boy says walking around and inspecting the woman before him, "forced to be in eternal musings."

"Do you have a name," Taranee asks blushing at all the attention from this boy. She was twelve when she was taken from Earth, but according to Raico she had aged to be seventeen as well.

"That I do," the boy says with a caring grin before stopping to stare into Taranee's eyes with his own compassionate grey ones. Taranee blushed more but then became curious by the fact that an entire galaxy seemed to be swirling within the pupil.

"Names are things that are given to us," the boy says stepping closer to the dark skinned woman. "We do not consciously make that decision."

"Okay," Taranee says with a gulp, "but what does that have to do with what your name is?"

"If I said my name you would know me," the boy says as he slowly starts to vanish, "but the truth is that you already do, Taranee-kun."

"Wait," Taranee says reaching out a hand to the boy as he completely vanishes. Then the world shatters around her.

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Taranee slowly opens her eyes and looked around at the replica of her room on the Solar Wind. She turned to the alarm clock which told her she still had a couple of hours before Jase's "training exorcise would begin. Hopefully then she would learn why she was plucked from her world, and when she would be able to go back. If she would be able to go back that is.

She sat up and let out a tired yawn. There wasn't much else to do other than try to get back to sleep, but the problem was that she wasn't really tired anymore. She stood up slowly and stretched her caramel arms in front of herself. She was still wearing that suit thing, partially because it was the only thing she had, but thankfully Raico helped her get used to changing its appearance so it at least now looked like a decent pair of Earth pajama's.

That's when the pain in her heart struck her. The young Fire Guardian was homesick. What could have happened in the five years that she had been gone? Surely styles would have changed and the attire she wore would be "out" as a certain blond haired woman would put it. Then again Taranee was never in to the style of the times.

She grins as she starts to remember her friends, and decides it might be best to walk around the ship, if only to acclimate herself to her surroundings. She stands by the foot of her bed and quickly wills her clothes to change into a pair of blue jeans and a light orange t-shirt.

She left the room quickly and noticed that the long aluminum hallway was darkened and slightly foreboding. Then she saw something out of the corner of her eye vanish behind the corner on the edge of the hall.

"_So you are awake too,_" a calm voice enters her mind.

"_Who's there,_" Taranee mentally responds looking around wildly.

"_The red haired one is kind of cute,_" the voice echoes in her head, "_her name is Will correct?_"

"_What are you some sort of mind reader,_" Taranee responds once more.

"_I'm also psychokinetic,_" the voice says, "_and don't try your thermo or pyrokinetics. They will not help you here._" Suddenly, a woman dressed all in black grabs onto the girl's shirt and slams her into the metal wall behind her. Taranee couldn't see her body, but the fire maiden could see their face though it was covered with an elaborate mask that looked as if it were a one eyed skull.

"Who are you," Taranee whispers as her eyes widen in fear.

"I am Ixtab," the woman says with a chuckle ass he brushes a hand across Taranee's cheek causing the area to go numb. "You have matured wonderfully Amunet."

"But Ixtab is the…" Taranee mumbles as her powers start to heat her body while Ixtab's powers slowly take the heat away.

"Mayan Goddess of Suicide," Ixtab says as rope like tendrils of energy start to wrap around Taranee's neck. Within seconds of the tendrils tapping the dark skinned girl's body she couldn't breathe, it was as if something was choking her. "And Amunet is the Egyptian Goddess of Mystery."

"Get your creepy stuff off her," a friendly voice shouts before Taranee is released from the woman's grip. Taranee coughs loudly as air returns to her lungs. The human then looks up to see Easi standing and ready for a fight. It was definitely a sight that would make even someone as strong as Vathek back down like a frightened kitten.

"You are strong Gaia," Ixtab says as she turns to face Easi, and also hard to read. Ixtab grinned evilly while wiping a trail of green blood from her lip. "You're strong enough to hurt even me."

"How are you still standing," a girl that Taranee had never seen before says. She had long golden hair that reached down to her lower back. She stared at Ixtab with piercing green eyes. All that was covering her was a long ruby jacket while tight denim pants wrapped her legs. "Not even a Juges can withstand a full powered hit from that girl's kind, and let alone come out of it with just a scratch."

"Be silent Lucifer," Ixtab growled as her attention was now split between the three of the women in the hallway.

"Don't know who that is," the blonde says with a growl, "but my name is Nokata, and you better remember it."

"Like I fear you," Ixtab says, "but alas my time here is over. Fair well Amunet, Gaia, and Lucifer." Ixtab then melds into the shadows and is thus gone.

"Who was that," Easi asks as she kneels down to make sure Taranee was okay. "And what where those three names she used to refer to us."

"She's someone who deserves to be on the pointed end of my lance," Nokata growls as she walks by the two, "I'll go inform the captain and thus wake everyone up."

"She said she was a god," Taranee answers Easi's question, "and the names she used for the three of us where all from religions back on Earth."

"I see," Easi says helping Taranee up.

"Easi," Taranee asks out of curiosity," how much do you weigh."

"Two hundred forty seven pounds," Easi says proudly, "and I'm a skinny person."

"_Weight must give her kind bragging rights,_" Taranee thinks to herself, "_but that woman survived a blow from a creature that could easily lift almost one and a half tons, and was virtually __unfazed__. What was __she?_"

"The captain will no doubt want to hear every word." Easi says as she and Taranee head toward the bridge.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nokata had gathered everyone on the bridge and Taranee had explained everything that had happened. The Earthling then took notice of the other beings two people that she had yet to meet. Both were boys and were about the same height. One had long black hair and stared at Taranee with cold white eyes, while the other wore a long black coat and looked much more peaceful. His shoulder length crimson hair was wild and messy. He had gentle brown eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe themselves. He was almost an exact male Will.

"So this Ixtab ran," the black haired man says, "she must have been scared of you Nokata."

"Of course she was," Nokata says with a grin that reveals her fangs. "I am the best among us as a physical specimen."

"If I remember right," Easi says getting angry at the comment, "I was the one that actually hit the chick."

"That's enough," Jase says as he finally enters the room, "I overheard the explanation, and all three of you were lucky that Ixtab isn't a fighter."

"I'm guessing she's not that tough then," Raps says with his usual sigh.

"Unfortunately," Jase says ignoring the comment, "I did not want to brief you on this until we made planet fall at headquarters."

"Brief us about what," Taranee asks.

"About the group of beings that Ixtab belongs to," Jase says, "they seem to be like you and come from a variety of worlds, but each are named after a particular Earth god, and possess incredible abilities that their species would not naturally have."

"Hence why Ixtab was able to withstand Easi's blow," the crimson haired boy speaks as he gentle walks over to Taranee. "Are you sure that you are well Mistress of Flame."

"What," Taranee says surprised by the boy's choice of words to address her. She then grins and rubs the back of her head. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"That's good," the boy says placing out a hand, "we have not been introduced. My name is Dryad."

"Taranee Cook," Taranee says shaking the boy's hand.

"It's great that the little crybaby is well and all," Nokata says with a growl of disdain for the girl. Not only had the human gotten the powerful friends. She had also gotten the boy that was a mystery to all of them as they only knew the boy's name and nothing else.

"Shouldn't we be worried about how Ixtab got on board?" The black haired boy says only to get elbowed in the gut by Nokata.

"Interrupt me again Aegis and I'll rip out your tongue," Nodaka angrily growls.

"I didn't sense anything on my scanners," S.W responds to the comment, "it is possible that it was some kind of projection."

"I never heard of a hologram that could hurt people," Raico says calmly.

"Like Nerissa," Taranee mumbles out loud.

"What was that Fire Maiden," Dryad asks and seems to be the only one that noticed.

"Nothing," Taranee says quickly. She didn't know why but she still felt she needed to hide the fact that she was a Guardian. "Just thinking out loud."

"I see," Dryad responds.

"Anyway," S.W interrupts, "we are about to arrive at Planetary Wind HQ." The ship then drops out of what Taranee assumed was warp speed to look over a large green colored planet that had one large blue ocean.

"Welcome to Terraqua," Jase says, "the planet itself is a supercontinent and super sea. On the largest bay on the continent is the city of Chassi, and the only city on the planet is located. It is there you will be further briefed and assigned permanent lodging when not on the Solar Wave."

"Everyone please brace for planet fall," S.W says as the ship enters the atmosphere toward the ocean below.


	5. Marionettes

Without the good will of manipulators and audience alike, puppets cannot sustain an illusion of life.

Matthew Isaac Cohen, _The Art of Puppetry_

/--\\\\

"We have successfully landed in Chassi Bay. Chassi City is directly ahead of us. We are docking at dock fourteen." S.W. said in a happy tone. The ship entered the atmosphere with no turbulence at all and had calmly landed into the water in front of the massive silver city.

Chassi city was large and the group marveled at the sheer size of some of the structures as their solar panels shimmered in the sun. Monumental skyscrapers towered over the docks that held many ships, some smaller than S.W. while others towered above them. The largest of which was a massive white ship that looked like a saucer with a large triangle on the top and sides.

"The Furinken flagship." Nokata said with pride and noticing the group's interest in the ship. "The Ameratsu."

"Look at that ship well. Her crew is what you guys will be practicing against." Jase said calmly. "Of course this is after your briefing."

\\\\--/

The Solar Wave rocked in the water as it stopped at the dock and the group got off the ship. The city was even more spectacular now that Taranee was within it. It was like New York on Earth, only with a lot more diversity amongst species.

"You should feel privileged Taranee." Raico said as she placed a hand on the human's shoulder. "You're the first Earthling to see this city."

"I think I'm the first Earthling to do a lot of things." Taranee responded with a sigh as she followed the group into a large building. The symbol of a large circle with what Taranee assumed was a gust of wind inside was embroidered on the building.

"Welcome to Planetary Wind Headquarters. Now that we are here I can explain some things that I could not explain on the Solar Wave." Jase said which got the groups attention. "First of which is why you have all been brought here."

"So why are we here?" Dryad spoke before Taranee had a chance to. The Earth girl just looked at the boy's feminine qualities and felt more homesick because he looked so much like Will.

"You were all chosen to be part of a secret organization designed to specifically fight against World End, the group that Ixtab belongs to." Jase said calmly as the group stepped onto a moving walkway.

"How are we supposed to fight against things that can take a punch from Easi?" Aegis asked calmly as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Look its one of them." S.W. said as she leaned on one of the rails and caused the entire group to look to their right. There they saw it. A large humanoid robot was being worked on to their right. Its body looked like that of a Mobile Suit that Taranee had seen in an anime back on Earth.

"The S class mobile fighter. The Mark MX39-Marionette uses a combination of Tien and Furinken technology in order to achieve peak performance. So far only seven have been made. Each of them have been made to certain criteria, and there is one for each of you. It will be what you are testing today against the best mobile fighter pilots that the Ameratsu has to offer." Jase looked at the one that was in maintenance, though how he saw through the headband that covered his eyes was still an oddity.

"So they're going to be scrap then." Nokata said in a smug tone. "Well all but mine will be."

"We'll see about that young Furinken." The group turned to see an elderly man with stark grey hair and gentle green eyes in front of them. He was accompanied by a large man that wore what Taranee could only assume was a captains attire.

"I'm glad to see you here Coordinator Adren, and you must be Admiral Schmitar." Jase said as he extended a hand in greeting. Neither of the two men grabbed it and the group walked to an observation deck where the group could see a large rocky field.

"This will be the battle ground to test out the people you selected captain. I will though warn you all that this will be a fight to the death. The only way to test what you really have is to go up against the best that the galaxy has to offer and to limit it to no killing. Well that would be unfair." Coordinator Adren turned to look over the field as the first of the purple Furinken mechs marched onto it. It had a massive frame and supported a large cannon on its back.

"Where's my opponent Admiral." The pilot screamed. "I thought I was going to destroy some prototype today."

"Who's first then?" The Coordinator asked in an annoyed tone while he looked over the group.

Taranee just gulped. She didn't know how to use one of those Marionette things. She could barely make a marionette back on Earth work. She could feel her chest tighten as panic set in. She was going to get slaughtered without her opponent even having to try.

"Are you okay?" Raico asked as she bent down and placed a hand on Taranee's shoulder. "Are you in need of a glass of water?"

"I just don't want to die." Taranee said as she turned her fear filled eyes toward Raico.

"What do you mean?" Raico said. The Tien was used to this kind of thing. It was how Furinken tested everything. They were a harsh species. "I think the fight to the death is harsh. Maybe another course of action…"

"If you cannot handle it." The Admiral said as he grinned to show his fangs. "Then get out and never come back."

Taranee's breathing became even more hectic at the words spoken. She couldn't leave. There was no way she would win against an experienced pilot. She was going to die. She didn't want to die.

"I will go first." Dryad walked forward in his gentle manner. His footsteps touched the floor ever so softly as he walked to where an attendant was waiting for him.

"Wait there has to be another way." Raico said as he began to walk off.

"There is something underlining this test. I'm also certain that they would not willingly demolish the best weapons at their disposal." Dryad smiled gently before he continued in the direction that the attendant pointed.

/--\\\\

The attendant walked Dryad to in front of one of seven similar colored Marionette units. They all looked the same to the boy. It was odd especially since they were a diverse group so why not have a more diverse set of equipment. Then a spark of curiosity lit his gentle brown eyes. Could this test really be for something different?

"Please transfer your biotech suit to armor mode." The pink haired android asked calmly. Dryad closed his eyes and his clothes quickly changed to that of a brown sand colored armor. It was formfitting and at the moment mimicked that of the seven marionettes before him. His eyes opened up and his previous question was answered. He knew what this test was really for.

Dryad then entered the cockpit of the mobile fighter and as the armor plating closed in front of him the Marionette's color changed to that of a sand like brown. The mech rocked as the clamps holding it released it before it was elevated above into the large amphitheater.

"My opponent is a Furinken Assault mech equipped with one heavy cannon." Dyad said to himself as he made sure his controls worked. "This will be over in fifteen minutes if my theory is indeed correct."

Dryad closed his eyes and filtered out the opponents taunts. If he was right then this fight would definitely be far too easy for all but the Fire Maiden. He would have to master the skills quickly needed to win quickly.

The enemy fired its cannon only for Dryad's machine to raise an arm in defense. The boy willed for a shield to form and suddenly both arms molded and changed to a more streamlined appearance. An energy shield then projected from the arm and forced the cannon shell to bounce effortlessly away.

Dryad smiled. His theory was correct. The grey elements were that of a shape change feature for first time users. Hence why only seven were made and those seven went exclusively to them. There however was a downside. It seemed that he could not morph the arm pieces anymore. The adaptations must be a onetime deal. He would then need to be careful in how he morphed the armor. One mess up and that would be a permanent flaw in the mecha.

He deflected another powerful cannon shell. The chest piece and head had somewhat changed to look more aesthetically pleasing in comparison the arms. He needed to go on the offensive, and he had a plan on doing that. He needed speed to do what he planned and was definitely read to do it.

The legs of the marionette now changed and seemed to form tank treads on the heel. Then the treads spun rapidly and propelled the Dryad's mech forward before. A shield blocked another cannon blast before the second disk shaped shield formed around the other arm and the edge of it was slammed into the Assault Mech and the speed of Dryad's Marionette sliced the being clean in two.

The explosion was large as Dryad's Marionette stood fully erect and walked back towards where it was elevated into the battlefield.

"Guess I was off." He grinned as he looked at the counter he had set. It had only been twelve minutes since he entered the stadium. Well, it probably won't be as easy for the rest of the group as it was for him, but that display had to have impressed someone up there.

\\\\--/

"That was amazing." Easi said with enthusiasm as Dryad returned to the group. Dryad just grinned humbly at the compliment before he stopped.

"I could do better." Nokata growled under her breath. She was equally impressed with the display, but she was too stubborn to show it.

"It was as I suspected though." Dryad said calmly. His gentle brown eyes focused admiringly at Taranee. "This test is more than it seems."

"How so?" Raps asked in his usual drown.

"It is instated so that we control the form our Marionettes take." Dryad responded before the attendant lead the still jealous Nokata into the hanger.

/--\\\\

Nokata's battle ended the same as Dryad's. She decimated her opponent more with high speed and powerful blows than using a defensive mech. Her Marionette took the form of a medieval jouster that used the air as its horse. A long lance formed in her right hand which she 

used to easily impale her chosen opponent. Her time equaled that of Dryad's as her mech marched from the field, and when she returned to the group she wore a smug smile.

The rest of the one on one fights went the same. With each member of the group's mechs changing to match the way that the pilot fought. Easi's Marionette became a heavy armored tank that excelled in hand to hand combat, and Aegis' went along the same path only with more of a ranged attacker as it obtained a large cannon on its back. Raps' and Raico's Marionettes became agile and streamlined. Raico's developed a sniper rifle while Rap's made two large punching daggers that made his Marionettes ability to become invisible all the more deadly.

The only down side was it was now Taranee's turn and she was still terrified of the whole thing. Despite what her new friends told her she was sure that she was going to die if she tried to fight against the opposing mecha. Especially since the machine was a completely different mech than the ones that the rest of the group fought.

Its large frame caused the ground to shatter as it walked into the coliseum. It had a heavy armored body and equipped with a large shield and heavy rifle like weapon. On its back was a large double edged sword that looked as though it could easily cut the poor Earthling in half.

"The Superior Assault Mech, recently off the production line. The finest that Furinken technology has to offer." Admiral Schmitar said with pride and showed all of his teeth in a deadly smile.

Taranee gulped as the android assistant pulled her into the Marionette hanger and walked her toward the remaining still dull grey colored machine. The earth girl protested but was soon then placed into the cockpit. Her breathing became frantic as the Marionette she was in is dropped and then raised into the large damaged battlefield across from the newest model of Furinken military technology.


End file.
